Police Respond to Allegations of Abandoning Search for Missing University Student

The Enugu State Police have denied allegations of abandoning the search for missing UNN student Flourish Uzodinma, claiming the investigation has been hindered by her family’s lack of cooperation.

The Enugu State Police Command has denied accusations of neglecting the search for Flourish Uzodinma, a first-year Computer Robotics student at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), who has been missing since November 2024.

A social media user, Ege Obetta, identified as a lawyer on his X (formerly Twitter) profile, alleged that the Nsukka Urban Police Station abandoned the case after demanding a N25,000 tracking fee from the missing student’s father.

According to Mr. Obetta, the police claimed to have tracked Flourish’s location to Calabar, Cross River State, but said they could not proceed due to a lack of collaboration with their counterparts in Calabar. He further alleged that the police instructed the father to travel to Calabar and attempt a rescue on his own.

Mr. Obetta appealed to the national police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, for intervention.

In a statement on Saturday, Enugu State Police spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, dismissed the allegations as “misleading and baseless.”

Mr. Ndukwe explained that Flourish, 18, left her family’s home in Owerre-Eze Orba, Udenu Local Government Area, on 28 November for an undisclosed destination. Her father, Charles Uzodimma, reported her missing on 3 December but allegedly requested the case be treated as “mere information.”

The police initiated an investigation despite the father’s request, according to Mr. Ndukwe. He clarified that the N25,000 tracking fee was not paid to the police but to a private tracker hired by Mr. Uzodimma. Efforts to trace the missing student’s phone were unsuccessful because it had been switched off.

The police later learned that Flourish appeared in a Facebook photo with another girl her father had warned her against associating with. The second girl’s phone number was tracked to Calabar.

However, Mr. Ndukwe did not confirm whether the police conducted the second tracking or if the family paid for it. He also did not clarify whether officers pursued the lead in Calabar.

The police spokesperson claimed that Mr. Uzodimma ceased collaborating with the police, which hindered progress in the investigation. He emphasized that the case remains open but has been stalled by the family’s lack of cooperation.

“The police are committed to resolving this case, but progress has been hindered by the parents’ non-cooperation,” Mr. Ndukwe stated.

READ ALSO: Enugu Police Allegedly Abandon Search for Missing UNN Student After Collecting ₦25,000 ‘Tracking Fee’

SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, PREMIUM TIMES